The typical owner-occupied home in Petaluma is worth about $878,600, 20% above the California median of $734,700 and 2.6 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $5,720 a year in property taxes, about 0.65% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $115,430 a year, so the median home costs 7.6 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Petaluma at a glance
| Petaluma | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $878,600 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $5,720 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.65% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $115,430 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 70% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $3,098 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.2% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,440 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 33.7% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1979 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.5% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 59,247 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Petaluma
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Petaluma home of $878,600 with 20% down costs about $5,570 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $7,175, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $238,728 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 58% of the median Petaluma household income of $115,430; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $425,000.
The median rent here is $2,440 a month, so owning the median home costs about $3,130 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $175,720 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $702,880 |
| Principal and interest | $4,728 |
| Property taxes (0.65% a year) | $476 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $366 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $5,570 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $30,751 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $862,686 |
| Principal and interest | $5,803 |
| Property taxes (0.65% a year) | $476 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $366 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $530 |
| Total per month | $7,175 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Petaluma
What is the median home value in Petaluma?
About $878,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Petaluma?
Homeowners pay a median $5,720 a year, which is about 0.65% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Petaluma?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $5,570 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $238,728 a year.
More about Petaluma
- Mortgage Refinance in Petaluma
- Debt Relief in Petaluma
- Home Equity Loans in Petaluma
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data